Philou (CLOSED)

Around the hip Canal Saint-Martin, where every joint sports the décor equivalent of a half sleeve and a waxed moustache, Philou is refreshingly down to earth. The space is more functional than funky, the atmosphere relaxed and the food better than average, so you can eat well without a reservation. The menu, scribbled up on a blackboard, does a good line in seasonal specialities – game and seafood – and the kitchen has a savvy, sophisticated line in classic dishes. The set lunchtime menu is €19 for three courses, with dinner €27 for two courses or €34 for three. An autumn menu might feature tender pink rounds of mallard with grilled root vegetables and a dense jus, grouse roasted with foie gras or confit pigeon thighs with beetroot – for dessert, perhaps a towering, extravagant Paris-Brest.